THE FIFTH CONTINGENT.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10601, 10 March 1900, Page 6

THE FIFTH CONTINGENT.

TTT-F. ADDINGTON CAMP.

.' Afc tlie first parade yesterday, Captain Lindsay. C.V.C., and Camp SergeantMajor Coleman each put a square through extended formation ■work, and Corporal Parkinson, C.V.C., took » squad at recruit drill. Two squads were further exercised in extended formations by Captain I»ind.say imd Bergfiiiat.Major Coleman at tiw second parade. In the afternoon 21 were moving, and r under Captain L:ndsay, were put through preparatory exercises rottnd th« track. The, troop was afterwards marched to the North Park and given some recruit mounted work, Itie remainder of the men n> camp -were further practised in foot driil, under Camp Sergeant-Major Coleman. The only yajriaitoa in the details of duty for to-day is that lunch U made half an. hour earlier, aincl boot and saddle will be sounded at a quartep-past t*t> o'clock. As there are only 24 horses in camp it ig i»' tended to give a".l the men similar mounted exercise in (turn, 'pending the arrival of mors horses and sadd'.er/.'. All the men now in camp have passed the doctors. Four retired yesterday, haying been fonnd physically unfit. "For the encouragement of the others," nine-.men who occupy » tent in which talking took place after "lighU out" the previous evening, had & quarter of an hour's round the track yesterday rooming. Mr if. J. Beswick brought a quantity of vegetables for the naen to camp yesterday. The total number on the roll yestard&r was 124. , Ode of the men who enrolled, it was ascertained, is married, and he had to U&ve the camp. At the commencement of the mounted

parade yesterday, ote oi the horses showed signs of being very fresh, and got slightly, bejjDod the control of it* first rider. It started off round the track at a gallop, and instead of turning at a corner, went on until confronted by the fence, when it stopped dead, and precipitated tlie rider on the ground, where he arrived on his feet, the only*injury he received' being a sprained ank*.e. The horse was then mounted by Trooper Hill, but broke loose again, and galoped round the track and into the stable lines. He wa« ultimately got under control, and was ridden through -the parade at the Park.

No official intimation has yet been received that Addingtoa is to be the central camp for the South Island, although the anno__ceme_t- was made two- days ago in a Press Association telegram from" Wellington. A hospital tent has been erected at the camp, but it is not yet equipped. Miss Pakiret and Mrs E. G. Staveley have sent?a quantity of fruit for the men, and two sympathetic little girls have made a welcoms contribution of grapes. The camp is to be open to visitors tomorrow, between the hours cf 2.30 and 5.50 p.m. The authorities at the Defence Office state that no more applications are required for the Fifth Contingent, as taore than sufficient men are at present In camp. It is pr._-.ible that the siiootiog tests will be commenced on Monday morning. (PEESS ASfiOCtATIOS TK_KG_U_rS.J WELLINGTON, March 9. Tlie cost of the equipment and transport of the Fifth Contingent wiil be borne by the Imperial Government, but only the" Imperial Army rate of pay is allowed, the colony guaranteeing the difference between the imperial and the pay received by the previous Contingents. GISORNE, March 9. Twelve men were selected this afternoon for the Fifth Contingent, and leave on Sunday. Their names , are: —John CharlesFerris, Jas. H. Ferris, James Thompson, W T m. Taylor, F. Parks, M. Ryan, J. D. Cameron, G: A. C. Simpson, G. B. Carter, H. Harris Herbert Yardley, George H. Gray. ' OAMARU, March 9. The Oamaru men for the Fifth Contingent were given a good send off to-day on leaving for Dunedin. Speeches were made and the Garrison Band and a large number of citizens accompanied them to the station.